Where’s a new buzz word being thrown around by marketing and product managers in the bike industry. What is that word you ask? Capable. The new 2016 trailbikes have gone on a travel diet but have binged on geometry and suspension renovations that will once again change how riders approach choosing a trailbike. The Fuel EX is a perfect example of a capable trailbike that will rip any trail you put under it. We pushed our Fuel EX 9.9 to its limits on challenging terrain, from our local cross country trails to competitive enduro courses. We left no stone unturned, determined to find out what this “capable” bike could truly handle.
The Fuel EX got a revamp in 2015 with the introduction of 27.5- inch wheels. There are more changes for 2016, but this time to the 29er line. Trek has done its homework in an effort to bring trail riders a bike that can handle it all.
A strong profile: The Fuel EX 29 has a sturdy profile that hints at how capable a machine this bike is. The stout frame tubes and beefy suspension were made for the rockiest of trails.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The Fuel EX is built for the everyday trail rider who is looking to tackle terrain that requires more travel than a cross-country bike delivers. This is the top-of-the-line build that Trek offers for the Fuel EX. Trek also offers more affordable options starting around $2100 and going up from there. Trek was excited to be able to provide a bike equipped with a dropper post for $3050 this year, which is more affordable than in the past. Our EX 9.9 is the-top- of-the-line build and sells for $8800 for the complete bike. This bike is available in Project One, and the sky is the limit from there. The EX 9.9 doesn’t require that you have a PhD in engineering to do everyday maintenance, and it sports top-shelf components that experienced riders will appreciate.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
This isn’t a new category of bike by any means, but this year, Trek redesigned this classic frame and gave it a healthy dose of modern geometry. The chainstays have been shortened from 452 millimeters to 437 millimeters. Most of this is due to the Boost 148 rear hub spacing, which allows the wheel to come in closer to the frame, giving the bike a tighter wheelbase. Twenty-niner bikes have been fighting the wheelbase battle since their inception, and this is just one more step toward making them more nimble.
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It’s in the details: Its tough to ignore the clean lines of the Fuel EX, especially with the internal cable routing. The tapered head tube is strong and has a nice shape with the beveled carbon edge.
It’s in the details: Its tough to ignore the clean lines of the Fuel EX, especially with the internal cable routing. The tapered head tube is strong and has a nice shape with the beveled carbon edge.The EX 9.9 use a full carbon frame and rear triangle made with Trek’s OCLV, which has been used on all of Trek’s carbon bikes for the last several years. Using carbon for the entire rear triangle keeps the weight down and gives the bike plenty of stiffness and strength. Trek hasn’t abandoned its G2 geometry, as the Fuel EX gets a healthy dose of it with the 51-millimeter fork offset.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
The Fuel EX 9.9 comes with all the bells and whistles, but what we noticed right away were the DT Swiss XMC1200 wheels, Fox Kashima-coated suspension, and of course the Race Face NEXT SL crankset.
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The Next best thing: The Next SL cranks have become some of the nicest and lightest available. Not only are the Next SL worthy cranks, they add a lot to the bling factor of the build.
The Next best thing: The Next SL cranks have become some of the nicest and lightest available. Not only are the Next SL worthy cranks, they add a lot to the bling factor of the build.DT Swiss has been working on some new carbon wheels, and the XMC1200 is the result of its efforts. The wide carbon rims were stiff and gave us plenty of stability on rough terrain, but they were also light and easy to push up the mountain on long climbs.
A go-to wheelset: The DT Swiss 240 hubs have been some of the best. The XMC1200 wheels have redesigned carbon rims laced up on 240 hubs, making the wheel plenty stiff and sturdy.
The Fox 34 Factory Kashima-coated fork incurs a slight weight penalty with the 34-millimeter stanchions and FIT4 three-position damper, but every ounce sacrificed is an ounce of confidence gained on the descents. Our test riders had high expectations when they saw that the Fox Float EVOL RE:aktiv shock was handling the rear suspension.
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A history of quality: Shimano’s XTR has been one of the best-shifting drivetrains on mountain bikes, and the M9000 gave us plenty of crisp shifting. The Fuel EX uses Trek’s staple ABP axle on the rear triangle, along with the new Boost148 hub spacing.
A history of quality: Shimano’s XTR has been one of the best-shifting drivetrains on mountain bikes, and the M9000 gave us plenty of crisp shifting. The Fuel EX uses Trek’s staple ABP axle on the rear triangle, along with the new Boost148 hub spacing.Race Face has reminded the bike world just what it is capable of with the release of the NEXT SL cranks. The fact that these are coming stock, not only on the Fuel EX but on other high-end offerings from Trek, reaffirms that Race Face produces some of the nicest cranks.
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The heart of a machine: Trek puts a lot of time and energy into their suspension designs. The RE:aktiv technology built into the Fox shock gives the Fuel EX a plush feel and gives riders plenty of room to make their own adjustments.
The heart of a machine: Trek puts a lot of time and energy into their suspension designs. The RE:aktiv technology built into the Fox shock gives the Fuel EX a plush feel and gives riders plenty of room to make their own adjustments.HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
The word “capable” was always on our minds as we tackled a variety of terrain and pushed the Fuel EX to its limits. Whether bottoming out the suspension, shooting down a steep rocky singletrack, or racing an enduro course in pursuit of a national championship, the Fuel redefines what a trailbike can handle. At 120 millimeters of travel, we set the sag at 30 percent, which took some trial and error, given the generous stroke of the shock. Once we had the rebound and compression dialed in, we were amazed at how well the suspension handled a variety of terrain without requiring any further adjustments.
Moving out:
Sitting in the saddle, the reach is compact and comfortable. The bars initially felt a little narrow but still gave us the leverage we needed on technical sections and climbs. Looking down from the saddle, the shapeliness of the top tube and down tube were impressive.
Cornering:
There are a lot of benefits to having a bike with shorter chainstays, and better cornering is one of them. The tight chainstays allowed us to throw the bike through corners with ease, making us feel like we were riding with 27.5-inch wheels. We could feel the modern geometry allowing us to distribute our weight well in turns, giving us more confidence than usual.
Climbing:
With the reduced weight and 29er wheels, on paper the Fuel EX seems like it would be a competitive climbing machine. While we didn’t set any personal records on climbs, we did tackle our usual climbs with ease. The geometry allowed us to sit forward on the saddle on steep climbs and get over technical sections. The carbon DT Swiss rims helped, keeping the rotating weight to a minimum.
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Through the thick of it: We have ridden few trailbikes that are as capable as this Fuel EX 29. Every bit of this bike begs riders to take the big line and eat up every rocky section of the trail.
Through the thick of it: We have ridden few trailbikes that are as capable as this Fuel EX 29. Every bit of this bike begs riders to take the big line and eat up every rocky section of the trail.Descending:
The word capable kept popping into our minds as we rushed every descent that we could. We found ourselves taking more aggressive lines than usual—and taking them with ease. The 29-inch wheels blew over any obstacles we encountered. As a testament to the descending capability of this bike, one of our test riders raced it in the Enduro National Championships in Mammoth and came away with the stars-and-stripes jersey for his category.
The enduro course featured harsh descents and technical climbs that pushed most racers onto longer-travel bikes, but our experienced test rider felt that the features built into the Fuel EX would be the best option. His instincts were right. He rode to a national championship, crushing second place by over a minute.
We did have some issues with the XTR trail brakes that came on our rig. On long descents or technical sections that required more braking, the rear brake would pump up. Over the course of our testing, we bled the brake several times but still had the same issues.
TRICKS, TIPS & UPGRADES
The Fuel EX 9.9 is meant to be the ultimate build, and it is, but there are a few odds and ends we wouldn’t mind swapping out. The Bontrager XR3 tire seemed to keep the bike from being ridden the way it was meant to be. We swapped out to Bontrager SE5 tires and noticed a huge difference in traction. The XR3 is a lighter tire, but we think the SE5 will allow riders to push the Fuel further.
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Playful and capable: Gone are the days when 29ers weren’t considered to be fun to ride. The only time you’ll feel like you’re riding a 29-inch-wheeled bike is when you are climbing or ripping over rocks.
Playful and capable: Gone are the days when 29ers weren’t considered to be fun to ride. The only time you’ll feel like you’re riding a 29-inch-wheeled bike is when you are climbing or ripping over rocks.Also, we would have preferred wider bars than what came stock. The 720-millimeter-wide bars didn’t hold us back by any means, but a wider bar would have provided additional leverage on technical sections. Given the issues we had with the brakes, we would probably swap them out for something with a more consistent feel and performance.
BUYING ADVICE
The Fuel EX 9.9 is a trailbike that can rival even enduro bikes in the hands of a strong and skilled pilot. Yes, the price is high, but if you can justify spending $8800 on a bike, then the Fuel EX9.9 should have a strong appeal. Considering the build kit and reputation of this all-round trail ripper, the price seems more than fair.
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